The deputy governor of Oyo State, Rauf Olaniyan has announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Olaniyan made this announcement in an interaction with journalists on Sunday.
He said the decision came in yielding to yearnings of his supporters who were tired of waiting after remaining afloat in the PDP, for a while.
He said the defection did not affect his relationship with the state governor, Seyi Makinde, saying he remained on the same page with the governor regarding governance.
He maintained that he was not resigning as deputy governor.
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday approved the use of Hijab by Muslim students in the state’s public schools.
The Special Assistant to the Governor on Islamic Affairs, AbdulRashid AbdulAziz, disclosed this in a statement marking the 2022 World Hijab Day in the state.
The statement read: “I want to congratulate the Muslims on the 2022 World Hijab Day. If the Quran says female Muslims should wear hijabs, our government will not oppose it. Since our constitution guarantees freedom of religion, my administration will not prevent anyone from following his/her religious dictates.
“I have instructed those in positions of authority in the state’s public service and across all our public schools not to intimidate or harass anyone because of their religious beliefs or practices.
Our government is God-fearing and we will continue to preach religious tolerance, equality and justice, which will further engender peaceful coexistence, love and togetherness.
“As the theme of this year’s celebration suggests, hijab is the pride of every female Muslim and it remains sacrosanct.”
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has attributed the improved Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in the state to hard work and the government’s pragmatic approach.
Makinde, who stated this in a statement issued on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, was reacting to the IGR Index released by the National Bureau of Statistics for the first two quarters of 2021.
He said the leap in the IGR was the manifestation of his “administration’s pragmatic approach to governance since May 2019.”
The governor noted that going by the NBS’s half-year report on states’ IGR, Oyo State with N25.19billion was placed in the seventh position.
Lagos State topped the chart with N267.23billion followed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) (N69.07billion) and Rivers State (N57.32billion).
Makinde said: “The government will continue to be bullish in its approach to expanding the state’s economy as that this was in line with the administration’s commitment in the Roadmap for Accelerated Development of Oyo State, 2019-2023.”
Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun has explained why the state opted out of the joint ownership of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso.
Oyetola spoke in Abuja on Saturday while fielding questions at NAN Forum, a special interview programme of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
According to him, the decision was reached after his government weighed the options and discovered that it was more profitable to invest in its own new university than continue with the joint ownership with Oyo State.
The governor also cited the huge financial commitment and lopsidedness of faculties of the university as some of the reasons it exited the joint ownership.
LAUTECH founded as Oyo State University of Technology in April 1990 was jointly owned by Osun and Oyo States after the creation of the former on Aug. 27, 1991.
Ripples Nigeria had reported that the National Universities Commission (NUC) on Nov. 20, 2020, announced the end of the joint ownership with the university ceded to Oyo State, while the College of Health Technology was transferred to Osun.
Giving insight into the development, the governor said: “ Even in marriage there is room for divorce, so you weigh your options.
“Don’t forget that we inherited LAUTECH because it was established at the time Osun was part of Oyo State.
”It was never a question of two states sitting down together saying we want to establish a university, no, we inherited it.
At the time, they could not have broken it into two and say Osun take this, Oyo take that.
Sometimes when you have different political parties being in charge of different states, there are always issues surrounding policies and related matters.
“LAUTECH had been in crisis over the years, as far back as when Gov. (Olagunsoye) Oyinlola was in office with (Adebayo) Alao-Akala.
”They actually agreed to separate and there was a report to that effect. It was just at the point of implementation that the APC administration came in, so it was stalled.
“But I realised that the relationship was becoming a burden to Osun in the sense that we have our own university, which is Osun State University.
I had to be compelled to pay salaries of lecturers in LAUTECH, and even those of the teaching university located in Osogbo.
“Again, if you look at the issue of equitable distribution of the faculties, it was lopsided. Not less than nine were sited in Ogbomoso, for instance. We had only the School of Health in Osogbo.
“That doesn’t reflect truly the issue of joint ownership.
“I have the Osun State University to think about, at some point there was this issue of states not meeting their financial obligations.
”That puts so much pressure on our government, making it look as if we were the one not aligning or not making the university to develop.”
Two suspected kidnappers have been reportedly killed by men of the South-West security network, Amotekun, in a failed abduction attempt in the Iwajowa Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The development was confirmed in Ibadan on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Adewale Osifeso.
“It is true. The operation was carried out by police, Amotekun, vigilantes, and local hunters. An investigation is on and we shall supply further information soon,” Osifeso said.
Also, confirming the incident, Amotekun Commandant in the state, Olayinka Olayanju, said the incident occurred on Friday, noting that weapons were recovered from the suspected kidnappers and deposited with the police.
He said the operation was carried out in collaboration with local vigilantes and hunters, noting that the two suspects were killed during a failed kidnap attempt by the duo who stormed Iwere-Ile town on Friday.
It was learnt that operatives of the Amotekun Corps who were called when the kidnappers stormed the town engaged the kidnappers and killed two of them.
Ripples Nigeria learnt that the kidnappers stormed the community around 3.pm on Friday and made attempt to kidnap some of the residents.
However, it was gathered that immediately the Amotekun operatives got to the scene of the incident at about 3:30 p.m, they engaged the hoodlums in a gun battle and killed two.
A former lawmaker, who represented Oyo South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin has condemned Governor Seyi Makinde for his handling of the security crisis in the Ibarapa/Oke Ogun area of the state.
The former lawmaker noted that while the governor considered the right of the killer herders to live in any part of the country, he failed to respect the right of the host community to live full life devoid of intimidation, killings and deprivation.
Lanlehin stated this on Sunday in a statement which he personally signed, adding that “I have observed, with deep concern, the rising wave of insecurity in Oyo State, advertised in the increasing cases of murder, armed robbery, kidnapping and all sorts of criminal activities.”
The former governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), further noted that from Ibadan to Oyo, Ogbomoso to Oke-Ogun, and Ibarapa, nowhere could be labelled as safe and peaceful.
He said: “More baffling is Governor Seyi Makinde’s inept handling of the entire situation, particularly his reactive and indecisive approach to tackling the most basic of challenges his administration can ever face.
“The recent incident whereby Chief Sunday Adeyemo, fondly referred to as Sunday Igboho, gave an ultimatum to the Seriki Fulani in Igangan is a case in point. With available information, one cannot but criticise Governor Makinde for his hasty and one-sided state-wide broadcast on the incident, and his biased upbraiding of Sunday Igboho, without as much as showing empathy with the victims of the rape, kidnappings, murder and farmland destruction allegedly perpetrated by some criminal elements within the herders community, under the guise of working as herdsmen.
“As usual, the governor was just being politically correct, and excessively populist in that broadcast of his, when he should have been balanced, and not appear to pander to the whims and caprices of the supposed afflicters. Why couldn’t he have invited both parties to a meeting and set in motion the process to an amicable resolution or even pay an on-the-spot assessment to Igangan instead of rushing to broadcast his jaundiced opinion? Till date, there is no evidence of the governor having personally visited Ibarapaland in his capacity as the state’s Chief Security Officer.”
Lanlehin, who called on Governor Makinde not to be carried away by the euphoria of office or the allure of power, counselled him to be guided by deep introspection, wise counsel and an abiding devotion to the protection of the lives and property of the people of Oyo State.
SaharaReporters gathered that the incident happened at Challenge junction, along a road under construction in the town.
Youths in Saki, a town in Oyo State, on Monday burnt a truck taking cattle out of Saki, for killing a boy, Ayuba Raji.
SaharaReporters gathered that the incident happened at Challenge junction, along a road under construction in the town.
A resident of the town, Kazeem Adeniyi, told reporters in Ibadan on Tuesday that the ongoing road construction was responsible for the accident.
According to him, motorists are fond of wrong-way driving on the road, accounting for crashes in recent times.
He also blamed the problem on speeding and reckless driving by truck drivers.
Another resident of the town and advocate of Saki Town Development, Mr Adekunle Lawal, popularly known as Saki First, condemned the contractors handling the Saki dual carriageway.
He blamed the handling of the project for many of the crashes occurring in the area. He said: “Yesterday, Monday, 11th of January, 2021, around 10pm, an accident occurred at Challenge junction which claimed the life of a boy, Ayuba Raji, who was the younger brother of a popular Yoruba presenter and musician, Monsurat Raji. The boy was riding a motorcycle when he was hit by a truck transporting cows out of Saki.
“An angry mob burnt the truck. It was late before Saki First (Lawal) could get in touch with the police to prevent more damage from being done. Speeding and reckless driving are what we know those cow transporters for. It’s now the right time for us to ensure the Federal Road Safety Corps trains people properly on how to drive. We took the step last year but the COVID-19 pandemic prevented us from going ahead with it.
“We commiserate with the family of the deceased; the contractors need to do something urgently too. That was the second accident in just three months.”
Some states have chosen their resumption date against the federal government approved date while others are still waiting to resume on 18th of January in line with the federal government decision.
However, Today Academic activities begins for some schools as well as some states in the federation.
Akwa Ibom State
The Akwa Ibom State Government has announced January 4, 2021 resumption date for schools in the state in order to complete first term.
Rivers State
The Rivers State Government has announced Monday 4th January, 2021 the official resumption date for all Secondary Schools and Vocational Schools for the completion of first (1st) term academic activities for 2020/2021 academic session.
Nasarawa State
The Nasarawa State Government has announced Monday, 4th January, 2021 the official resumption date for Public and Private Primary and Secondary Schools in the State for the commencement of first (1st) term academic activities for 2020/2021 academic session.
4) Likewise Oyo state has set January 11 for school resumption.
Oyo state Governor Seyi Makinde on Thursday related how he missed the chance of a final moment with his late mother.
The Governor while speaking in a tribute at the Service of Songs held at The Archade of the Oyo State Government House, Agodi, Ibadan as part of the funeral rites of the late mother, recounted that he had promised to see his mother the weekend after the Ondo election but was unable to pick her calls for the fear of not been able to grant her ‘suspected’ wish of stopping by to see her before the agreed time.
He added that he received the shocking news of her death the following morning noting that although the death of his mother is still a very bitter pill to swallow for him, he will forever cherish the years of relationship he had with her.
Makinde said “It is still very hard for me. The relationship that I share with my mother is like a no other one. I spoke to her on Monday immediately after the Ondo state elections and I told her that I will see her over the weekend, then, I left for Port Harcourt on Wednesday morning.
“And throughout Wednesday she was calling me and I was saying to myself that even if I pick the call, since we were out of town, it wont make any sense because I kind of guess why she was calling me, she wanted me to stop by and see her, so I didn’t pick the call.
“By Thursday morning, they came to wake me up and said, they were knocking on my mum’s door and she wouldn’t answer and then maybe about 15 to 20 minutes later, they forced the door open and they met her, she was gone.”
“It was an experience for me to have spent a little above 52years of my life with my mother. I will forever cherish that relationship.”
In his short exhortation at the event, the Vicar, St Pauls Anglican Church, Yemetu, Dr Samuel Osungbeju recounted the good deeds of the later mother of the Governor calling on others to also remember to take a cue from her.
Other speakers also spoke glowingly of the memory of the late mother at the event which was attend by former Governor Rasheed Ladoja, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state, former Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, President Christian Association of Nigeria, Dr Olasupo Ayokunle, Pastor Femi Emmanuel, Arch Bishop Segun Okubadejo among other notable dignitaries.
Yesterday, the governor of Oyo state, Engr Seyi Makinde announced on his social media platforms that a passing out ceremony for the security group, “Àmòtékún Corps” took place in Oyo Town.
“This afternoon, we held the passing-out ceremony of the Àmòtékún Corps in Oyo Town. It’s been a long journey to get to this point from July 2019, when the first meeting was held by all six south west governors to set up a regional security outfit”.
“The Àmòtékún Corps will collaborate with federal security agencies to secure our state. Members of the corps will be drafted to all the 351 wards in Oyo State. They will be answerable to me and so, I will be responsible for their actions”.
Speech at the Passing Out Parade of the Oyo State Security Network Agency code named Amotekun by Governor Seyi Makinde:
When the story of the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun is told, it will be on record that it was officially launched on January 9, 2020. However, the Amotekun journey began earlier. In July 2019, the six states of the southwest, namely Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo States, agreed to set up this outfit.
Amotekun is indeed a first of its kind security agency because it is a regional security outfit initiated by one of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
History will also state that the headquarters is here in Oyo State. Since its founding, we have been taking steps to ensure that the security outfit kicks off operations. In March 2020, the Oyo State House of Assembly passed the Oyo State Security Network Agency Bill 2020, which I signed into law a few days later.
Although COVID-19 and other logistical issues delayed the recruitment process, we ran an open and transparent recruitment process that culminated in announcing the 1,500 successful candidates’ names in October 2020. Shortly after that, their training began in the first week of November. Today we are here to witness the passing out parade of the pioneer members of the Amotekun Corps.
Security has always been an issue close to my heart. While on the campaign trail, I spoke about how we could tackle insecurity in Oyo State. We outlined clear plans in our manifesto, the Roadmap to Accelerated Development in Oyo State 2019-2023. And so, when we came into office, we went ahead to make security one of the pillars of our administration.
Our actions have been based on the fact that if our state is insecure, we cannot attract investment, whether foreign or local. So far, we have supported our federal security outfits, who do their best to protect our people. We provided them with communication gadgets and patrol vehicles. More recently, we requested for and established just this past May 2020, the Police Mobile Force 72 Squadron at Ago-Are and presented them with patrol vehicles for the outfit’s operations.
But as I have argued on various fora, for governors to really play the role of Chief Security Officers of their states, state policing is the way forward. I am confident that someday, we will get enough support at the national level to achieve that constitutional review.
But, for now, we will settle for the next best thing.
The Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, is an independent outfit. Members will answer to the state governors, but they will be working with the federal security agencies.
Some of the primary functions of the Amotekun Corps as authorised by law include: Collaborating with and assisting the Nigeria Police and other security agencies in gathering information. They will be involved in crime, the investigation of crime, arrest, and prosecution of persons suspected of kidnapping, terrorism, destruction of livelihood, criminal damage to property, cultism, highway robbery, and any other illegal activities.
They will also be involved in routine day and night patrols on major roads and remote areas. Members of the corps will be drafted to all the 351 wards in Oyo State. They will be our own community police so that their presence will be felt everywhere. This ensures that offenders are quickly identified, arrested, registered, and promptly handed over to the nearest police station or post. As I said during one of my speeches following the End SARS protests, this is one outfit that I can boldly say hold me responsible for the actions of the members.
Therefore, let me state to you 1,500 pioneers of the Amotekun Corps that you must remain excellent examples in service. You are to work for the people. You are not called to harass or intimidate the people. Instead, exhibit the highest level of professionalism in the discharge of your duties. Remember that there are limits to your authority, and always follow directives from the chain of command.
We have appointed two qualified men as chairman and commandant of the Amotekun Corps, the persons of Retired General Ajibola Kunle Togun and Retired Colonel Olayanju Olayinka. We also have other eminent persons on the board. I am confident that under them, the Amotekun Corps will live up to their objectives.
As I said during the official launch of this outfit in January 2020, our regional integration, through Amotekun, should be seen in one light. We are coming together to fight a common enemy. That enemy is not Nigeria; the enemies are the elements among us and their affiliates who are determined to cause commotion within our states’ borders and threaten our peaceful coexistence.
And on this note, I declare the Oyo State Security Network Agency codenamed Amotekun operational.
The Oyo State Government has said that the palliatives that were looted by hoodlums on Friday at a warehouse in the Akobo area of Ibadan, the state capital, did not belong to the state government.
Stressing that the Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration would not short-change the people, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Bayo Lawal, urged members of the public to discountenance the misinformation being spread on social media.
Some hoodlums had attacked a private warehouse belonging to a company in Ibadan carting away bags of rice believed to have been hoarded by the government.
Lawal, who doubles as chairman, Food Security and Palliative Committee of the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force, said the state was not supplied rice as part of the palliatives from CACOVID and that it did not, at any time, distribute rice as part of the palliatives to the people.
He said, “Investigations revealed that there was nothing that concerns the Oyo State government in that warehouse. The warehouse belongs to a private individual who operates in Oyo State and was given a valid contract by the Coalition Against COVID-19, a coalition of private organisations that have been helping states and the Federal Government to fight COVID-19.
“So, it was the rice that he procured on his own for repackaging that was mistaken to be Oyo State’s, that hoodlums looted.”
The Commissioner stated that the state government could not hoard what it did not have, explaining that CACOVID supported the state with cash, medical items and food items including Indomie and Spaghetti.
He said, it was really a big shock earlier this morning (Friday morning) when I started receiving calls alleging that food items meant for distribution to the masses were being hoarded. But when I enquired further, I was told that the bags of rice were looted in one of our warehouses in Ibadan, in Lagelu Local Government, to be precise. We don’t even have any warehouse outside the secretariat.
All the palliatives given to us were stored in our warehouses within the secretariat, not outside. Whatever is being circulated that Oyo State was hoarding CACOVID-donated rice is wrong and baseless allegation.
“We want the public to know that though CACOVID gave us indomie, spaghetti, there was nothing like rice. We are still expecting their rice up till today. The rice, which was looted, belonged to a private company that happens to be a CACOVID vendor for other states.”
The CACOVID vendor whose warehouse was vandalised, Alabi Adeoye, stated that the looted bags of rice at the warehouse were meant to be supplied to Abia, Cross-Rivers, Plateau and Taraba States, disclosing that his company, which has been operating in Oyo State in the past five years, lost millions of naira to the attack.
“Our facility was vandalised and food items worth millions of naira were carted away. Property that was vandalised was worth millions of naira,” Adeoye was quoted as saying in the statement.
No fewer than seven persons have been arrested in connection with the invasion of Sen. Teslim Folarin’s house in Ibadan on Saturday.
Mr Yinka Folarin, the lawmaker’s elder brother, told newsmen on Saturday in Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that some hoodlums had on Saturday invaded Folarin’s house, carting away items worth more than N200 million.
NAN reports that among the items carted away are about 300 motorcycles, deep freezers and food items.
He said that the suspected hoodlums were arrested at the residence of the lawmaker by the Oyo State joint security task force ‘Operation Burst’.
“Most of the equipment had been looted before the arrival of the security men, while seven of the them, identified by the residents, were arrested at the scene,” he said.
The lawmaker’s elder brother said that the looted items were meant for the 11 local government areas constituting Oyo Central Senatorial District.
He said that the empowerment programme was postponed due to the ongoing protest.
•Obiano imposes 24-hr curfew, plans N200m compensation •Makinde visits hot spots in Ibadan
Youths in Ondo State went berserk yesterday, destroying several public infrastructures across the 18 councils.
In Okitipupa town, the headquarters of Okitipupa Council, over 100 angry youths invaded the National Correctional Service (NCS) Centre, setting about 58 inmates free.
The Guardian learnt that they also destroyed several facilities and burnt a lot of cars in the premises, looting and razing the council secretariat.
They also torched the Okitipupa High Court Complex and the Okitipupa Oil Palm Company (OOPC), though letting the employees go scot-free.
Also, the Independent National ElectoralnCommission (INEC) office in the council was torched by the mob.
The NCS Public Relations Officer (PRO) in the state, Mr Babatunde Ogundare, confirmed the incident.
In Akure South Council, the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s campaign office was destroyed, while two persons were allegedly killed in Ondo West Council.
Similarly, in Awka, Anambra State, banks, markets and other business premises were shut as youths chanting anti-government slogans marched on the major streets and later poured into the Enugu/Onitsha expressway.
In Onitsha, the protesters marched from Zik Roundabout to Awka road and diverted to the Inland Town Police Station, but were resisted by the officers on duty who shot into the air to disperse them.
Also at Nnewi, hoodlums who sang war songs razed the Central Police Station yesterday but attempts to attack the Police Area Command were repelled by the officers on duty.
It was gathered that two persons lost their lives during the protest at Nnewi and Okpoko, as hoodlums tried to raze Okpoko police station but were overpowered by the police.
Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra has, however, imposed a 24-hour curfew throughout the state.
He announced that the curfew would take effect from 8 p.m. to bring the tension under control, adding that the state government budgeted N200 million as compensation to people who have proven cases of rights violations, torture and deaths from the activities of the defunct SARS in the state.
Anchor Insurance Building at Barracks Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State was also set ablaze, following the alleged killing of a protester and injuring of others by officials of the correctional centre at Barracks road.
The incident led to serious tension in Uyo metropolis as the protesters invaded all major streets of the capital city, blocking roads, destroying properties and vandalising items.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, yesterday, embarked on a tour of hot spots of the protests in Ibadan where he declared that his government would continue to do everything necessary to secure the lives and properties of the residents of the state.
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